Friction-clutch



(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. H. RICHARDS.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

No.v 481,191. Patented Aug. 23, 1892.

I/weiz arf UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO VALTER WOOD,OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,194, dated August23, 1892.

Application tiled November 23, 1891. Serial No. 412,869. (No model.)

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFriction-Clutches, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to friction-clutches for lathe-heads, the objectbeing to provide an improved friction-clutch mechanism having expansiblefriction-rings and improved apparatus for actuating the same.

The invention is adapted for use in connection with that classofback-geared latheheads shown in Figure 1 of the Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 308,321, granted to me August 12, 1884, which saidlathe-head comprises a lathe-head frame having spindlebearings, alathe-spindle, a cone-pulley, the spur-wheel G, loosely mounted on thespindle, a pinion fixed to the cone-pulley,and a backgear shaft havingthereon a large gear meshing with said cone-pulley pinion and a smallgear or pinion meshing With said spur-Wheel. Those only of said partsywhich are necessary to an understanding of my present improvements areshown in this application.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of a lathe-headfurnished with my present improvements. Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section of the same in line a a of Fig. 1, as seen from the righthand of said line. Figs. 3 and 4 are front and edge Views, respectively,of the expansible friction-ring. Figs. 5 and 6 are two similar views ofthe friction-ring carrier, which also carries the ring-expanding wedge.Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively an end View and side View of theclutch-sleeve. Figs. 9 and 10 are an end and a side view, respectively,of the sliding clutch-actuating ring. Fig. 11 shows three views of thewedge for expanding the friction-ring. Fig. 12 shows three views of theclutch-cam upper plate. Fig. 13 shows two views of theclutch-camadjusting wedge. Fig. 14 shows three views of the clutch-camlower plate.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown a portion'of a lathe-head frame designated byB and carrying the usual lathe-spindle C, journaled, as usual, insuitable bearingaas D. A quill E is fitted in the usual manner to turnfreely v on the spindle and carries fixed thereto, by screws orotherwise, the usual cone-pulley F, whose hub or center consists of saidpart E. A spur-wheel G, designed to mesh with the usual back gear, (notshown herein,) is fitted to turn freely on the spindle C. Said pulley For, as herein shown, the quill thereof, is

' constructed with an internal friction-face 18 and the gear G with thesimilar friction-face 18', within which the two friction-rings of thedouble clutch are to be expanded into friotional engagement with saidparts respectively. The pulley-clutch is used for driving the spindlerapidly, while the spur-Wheel clutch is for reducing that speed bybringing into action the aforesaid back gearing.

The details of each of the clutches being of similar construction, theparts of the gearclutch are designated by the same characters as thecorresponding parts of the pulleyclutch, with the addition of the usualprime mark.

The pulley-clutch friction-ring 2'7 and the gear-clutch friction-ring27' are carried by the two friction-ring carriers 22 and 22',respectively, which carriers are iixed upon the opposite ends of aclutch-sleeve 2, that is firmly secured to the spindle C. Saidclutchsleeve is or may be keyed to the spindle by means of the keys 4 6,Fig. 2, and the carriers are shown held in place thereon by means ofordinary keys and by screws reaching through the holes 28, Figs. 5 and6, into the corresponding threaded holes 42, Figs. 7 and 8. Thefriction-rin gs 27 and 27' are fitted to close upon said carriersrespectively, and when thus located turn freely within the saidfriction- IOO said wedges being held within said channels by the ribs20, fitting in corresponding grooves, as shown, in the sides of saidchannels and being furnished with the rollers 23 23. A clutch-actuatingring 3 is fitted to slide freely on the sleeve 2, and has a groove 5formed therein to receive the shoes of the clutchlever, by means ofwhich the said ring is actuated. A T-shaped slot 9 is formed in the ring3 to receive the similarly-formed end 7 of the lower cam-plate 8, whichplate is iitted to slide in a V-shaped and undercut groove l0, formed inthe sleeve 2. In the cam-plate 8 there is formed a V-shaped groove 12,into which the cam-adjusting wedge 13 is fitted.Theuppercam-plate14alsohasaT-shapedend 15, formed to fit the said groove9 of the ring 3, and has a V-groove 16 to engage the wedge 13. Theabove-describedparts being grooved and tongued together substantially asdescribed constitute an adjustable wedge-actuating cam, designated in ageneral way by N, which engages the sliding clutch-ring 3, whereby itmay be moved backward and forward between the two clutches. During thatmovement the cam is kept in place diametrically of the ring 3 by itsengagement with the undercut edges of the groove 10, and the parts 8,13, and 14 of the cam are similarly held together by the interlockinggrooves and edges thereof. An adjusting-screw 17, carried by the ring 3,is provided for adjusting the wedge 13 by sliding this between thecam-plates to take up any wear of the parts.

For engaging or disengaging the clutch by hand I have provided aclutch-lever 35, carried by a stud 36, that is journaled in bearings 3737', iixed on the head B. The upper end of said lever is bifurcated, thearms 38 38 thereof being provided with shoes 39 39, carried by studs 4040, fixed in said, arms in a Well-known manner, which shoes engage thegroove 5 of the ring 3. The lower end of the lever 35 has a slot 41formed therein to receive the crank-pin 42 of the crank-arm 43, which iscarried fixed to the inner end of the shaft 44, that is journaled in thehead B.

Said shaft may be turned to swing the lever.

forward or backward by means of a suitable handle, as 45, to throw intoengagement one or the other of the pair of clutches and thereby drivethe lathe with a quick speed or a slow one, as may be required. Bythrowing the handle 45 toward the right hand in Fig. 1 the ring 3 ismoved toward the left hand, thereby forcing the cam under the roll 23and the wedge 25 outward into the aforesaid opening 26 of thefriction-ring 27, thereby expanding said ring into engagement with thedriving-pulley. By throwing said handle toward the left hand theopposite cam drives the wedge 25 outward and expands the frictionring 27into engagement with the gear G to drive the spindle through the usualback gears at a slower speed. When the clutchring 3 is in the positionshown in Fig. 1, (the driving-pulley not being revolving,) the screw 17is accessible for adjusting the cam of the pulley-clutch, and when saidfring is thrown to the right hand the screw 17 is similarly accessible.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a clutch mechanism,the combination, with the friction-ringandits expanding-wedge,

of thel sliding clutch-ring, an adjustable.

wedge-actuating cam carried by the clutchrin g, and means for adjustingthe cam to regulate the expansion of the friction-ring, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a clutch mechanism, the combination, with the friction-ringcarrier and the frictionring thereon, of the friction-ring-expandingwedge, the sliding clutch-ring, and a cam carried by the clutch-ring andconstructed, substantially as described, to be expansible by a wedgetherein, and means carried by the clutch-ring for adjusting thecam-wedge, substantially as described.

In a clutch mechanism, the combination, with the friction-ring carrier22, having the groove 2l radially thereof, of the friction-ring on saidcarrier, means for holding said ring from rotation thereon, thefriction-ring-expanding wedge fitted to slide in said groove, the camactuating said wedge, and means for sliding said cam under and fromunder the wedge, substantially as described.

4. In a clutch mechanism, the improved cam, comprising the lowercam-plate, the upper cam-plate, and the cam-adjusting wedge intermediateto said plates and connecting the plates together by a slidingengagement therewith, substantially as described.

5. In a clutch mechanism, the combination, with the sliding clutch-ringhaving the camengaging slot, of the cam consisting of the FRANCIS H.RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

HENRY L. REOKARD, HANS MALLNER.

IOO

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